1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to devices which may be attached to a container and which operate as a handle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device which attaches at a top rim of the container and enables the container to be supported in any orientation.
2. Prior Art
Because the container industry is so competitive, common practice is to construct low cost containers which are disposable. Fabrication of such containers is typically more complex if a handle device is incorporated as part of the integral container structure. For example, many industries rely on metal containers for holding paints, food items, etc., and must compete at low profit margins for business. To attempt to compete by building a handle into the container would greatly increase production costs and reduce margins. Just as importantly, such handles increase the required storage space and thereby increase shipping costs and overhead. Consequently, a major segment of the container industry depends on symmetrical containers built on a low cost basis which do not include an form of handle.
In view of this market condition, attachable handles have been constructed which can be added to a container to facilitate ease of handling. By using an attachable handle, a container can be removed from a storage box and quickly affixed, without significant difficulty.
The typical methodology of applying an attachable handle to a container has consistently involved fixation of a handle device on the container to enable support of the container solely by the handle This approach is represented in the following patents:
______________________________________ Patent Number Patentee ______________________________________ 4,433,864 F. D. Byrd 4,200,323 J. A. Cocksedge 2,626,174 R. S. Barber 31,198 J. Warner 3,867,738 D. L. Garner 2,993,672 A. F. Bower, et al 2,029,429 S. R. Koons 1,437,171 D. M. Currey 2,075,685 G. F. Wiedemann ______________________________________
These references teach the use of a banding strap around the container, a clip across the rim of the container, and variations of these two structures. In each instance, however, the support for the container comes from the handle alone.
A major disadvantage of this approach is the need for a strong structural connection which will support the container and weight of contents. This support is generally applied at right angles to the container and requires sufficient rigid attachment to allow the container to be rotated in various orientations without the container releasing from the handle.
Accordingly, inadvertent release because of poor connection occurs frequently. Users may be reluctant to freely move the container to various orientations because of concern that the handle will break free and spill the contents. The user is also uncomfortable because the handle is substantially separated from the center of gravity of the container and creates a feeling of uncertainty as to whether the container will stay engaged by the handle.
In addition, the conventional type handle is typically tailored to a specific type of container. This is essential because the container must be totally supported in its weight by the attached handle. In other words, the full load of container and weight may be applied at an isolated point on the rim or at a strap location around the container body. If this point fails, then the handle fails and the contents of the container become history.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a handle device which increases the sense of actual and perceived control of the container by placing the hand in closer proximity to the center of gravity.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a handle which incorporates the user's hand as an actual component of the handle device.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a handle device for use with containers larger than may be comfortably or easily handled with one hand.
These and other objects are realized in a handle device adapted for direct, singular attachment to a top rim of a container for extending the reach of the human hand between the fingers and thumb to enable the user to grasp a base portion of the container with the fingers while reaching upward along the side wall of the container toward the top rim with the thumb. The thumb engages a handle extension which comprises an intermediate, elongated stem, clip-on means attached at one end of the stem which is configured for a snug fit at the top rim, yet without sufficient rigid attachment that the container with contents could be supported by holding the handle device except with an applied downward force through the thumb, and the other end being positioned at the container side wall. This other end also includes a thumb grip member which is configured to enable a user to interlock his thumb therein. The combination of clip, stem and thumb grip are dimensioned to extend from the top rim of the container to an intermediate section thereof such that the only force applied to the device is a downward force developed by pulling the thumb and attached grip member toward the base of the container which is being gripped by fingers of the user. In this manner, the handle device and the hand of the user form the actual supporting handle for the container and greatly increase the amount of control and sense of security experienced by the user.
Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the accompanying drawings.